BlogRecent Engagements

Category: Recent Engagements

ADDRESSING THE IMPACT OF THE ANTI HOMOSEXUALITY ACT ON LGBTQ PERSONS IN UGANDA

When a law criminalises identity, the impact goes far beyond the courtroom.

Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Act (2023) has intensified arrests, evictions, gender-based violence, and the denial of essential services for LGBTQ persons—creating a climate of fear, exclusion, and impunity. These are not isolated incidents, but documented patterns with lasting human, social, and public health consequences.

This policy brief examines the real-world effects of the Act. It outlines strategic, evidence-based actions for civil society—from legal advocacy and community storytelling to intersectional coalition-building—to protect lives, dignity, and rights.

Read the full policy brief here:

ADDRESSING THE IMPACT OF THE ANTI HOMOSEXUALITY ACT ON LGBTQ PERSONS IN UGANDA Download

A CALL FOR PROHIBITION OF NON-CONSENSUAL SURGERIES ON INTERSEX INFANTS

What if a life-altering medical decision was made about your body—before you could speak?

In Uganda, intersex infants are still subjected to non-consensual, medically unnecessary “genital normalising” surgeries that permanently alter their bodies, often causing lifelong physical and psychological harm. These practices violate the fundamental rights to bodily integrity, autonomy, and informed consent.

This policy brief calls for an immediate prohibition of all non-emergency surgeries on intersex children and urges the Government of Uganda to adopt ethical, rights-based clinical guidelines that prioritise delay, care, and informed choice—aligning national health practice with international human rights standards.

Read the full policy brief here:

A Call for a Prohibition of Non-Consensual Surgeries on Intersex Infants in Uganda Download

INCLUSION OF TRANS AND GENDER DIVERSE PERSONS IN SRHR SERVICES

Healthcare cannot be equitable if entire communities are locked out.

Trans and gender diverse persons in Uganda continue to face discrimination, denial of care, and exclusion from Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) services—often not because services don’t exist, but because systems were never designed to include them.

This policy brief presents evidence of these barriers. It outlines practical, rights-based actions for health systems: from non-discrimination policies and provider training to gender-affirming care standards and inclusive health data systems. Centring lived experience, it shows why inclusion is not optional—it is essential for effective public health.

Read the full policy brief here:

Inclusion of Trans and Gender Diverse Persons in Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR) ServicesDownload

ADDRESSING GENDER BASED VIOLENCE AGAINST TRANSGENDER PERSONS IN RURAL AREAS OF UGANDA – A CALL FOR INCLUSIVE PROTECTION

An unseen crisis is unfolding in rural Uganda—and it demands urgent attention.

Transgender persons in rural communities face extreme and compounded forms of gender-based violence, driven by isolation, stigma, legal ambiguity, and limited access to justice, healthcare, and protection. For many, violence is not a single event but a constant condition—physical, sexual, psychological, and economic—carried out with near-total impunity.

This policy brief brings visibility to these often-ignored realities and calls for concrete, rights-based interventions: legal reform, trans-inclusive justice systems, community awareness, and accessible support services tailored to rural contexts.

Read the full policy brief here:

ADDRESSING GENDER BASED VIOLENCE AGAINST TRANSGENDER PERSONS IN RURAL AREAS OF UGANDA Download

EMPOWERING TRANS AND GENDER DIVERSE YOUTH THROUGH EMPLOYMENT IN UGANDA. 

Unemployment is not just an economic issue—it is a dignity issue.

Across Uganda, trans women and gender-diverse youth are locked out of employment not because they lack talent or ambition, but because discrimination, unsafe workplaces, and exclusionary policies deny them opportunity. The result is poverty, mental health strain, and increased vulnerability to violence and health risks.

This policy brief examines the employment crisis facing TGD youth and proposes practical, achievable solutions—from inclusive vocational training and startup funds to legal protections and digital work pathways that can unlock economic participation and resilience.

Read the full policy brief here:

EMPOWERING TRANS AND GENDER-DIVERSE YOUTH THROUGH EMPLOYMENT IN UGANDA Download

2Lead Fellow Reimagining Justice for Trans Communities in Uganda

Queen Rihanna is a proud trans woman, feminist, and human rights advocate whose life’s work stands at the intersection of resistance, healing, and transformation. As the Executive Director of Initiative for Rescue Uganda, she leads with both courage and compassion, challenging systemic discrimination while offering lifelines of support to transgender and gender-diverse people, especially those who have been incarcerated or marginalised by the justice system.

Her activism is not just rooted in advocacy; it is grounded in action. Through her leadership, Initiative for Rescue Uganda provides legal aid, psychosocial support, reintegration services, and safe spaces for trans people inside and outside prison walls. Rihanna is among the few leaders in Uganda who have boldly built an ecosystem of care for those society chooses not to see.

Queen Rihanna’s journey with the TNU 2Lead Fellowship marked a turning point in her activism. Before the fellowship, she was already advocating fiercely, but often in isolation, navigating burnout and the harsh realities of working in a criminalised environment.

On the fellowship, she says, “it affirmed that trans and gender-diverse leaders deserve to be at the forefront of change, not just as beneficiaries, but as visionaries.”

Through 2Lead, she gained confidence in her leadership and advocacy voice, developed skills in strategic planning, systems thinking, and policy influence, and established a network of peers who offered solidarity, mentorship, and a shared purpose. This experience helped her shift from survival-driven activism to transformative leadership.

One of the most impactful outcomes of Rihanna’s fellowship journey was the redesign of the Prison Outreach and Legal Aid Program.

Rather than solely responding to emergencies, she envisioned a sustainable model of change, introducing paralegal training for formerly incarcerated trans persons, transforming them into peer advocates who now support others navigating police stations, prisons, and the courts, creating a community feedback and case-tracking system to improve legal interventions and accountability, and supporting the successful release and reintegration of unjustly detained trans individuals. This model not only protects rights but restores dignity.

Rihanna’s dream is a Uganda where trans voices are not simply included, but centred in justice, healthcare, and governance.

She envisions a network of safe houses, legal clinics, and community centres led by trans people, A generation of trans youth who can dream freely, without fear of violence or imprisonment, and policies and justice systems shaped by those most affected, not by those in power.

Through Initiative for Rescue Uganda, she plans to expand services nationally and regionally, while nurturing future leaders just as the fellowship nurtured her.

Queen Rihanna’s story, unlike so many stories, is a powerful reminder that leadership is not about position; it is about purpose. It is about turning pain into policy, fear into resilience, and invisibility into agency.

Her journey, like that of many grassroots leaders, is a testimony to what happens when trans communities are trusted with the power to lead their own lives, their own movements, and their own futures.

 

Strengthening Digital and Physical Security for Trans Communities in Uganda

For many trans people in Uganda, daily life is not just about navigating identity; it is about survival. Beyond the weight of stigma lies an even heavier burden: the constant threat of violence, harassment, and persecution. Online, this can mean blackmail and exposure. Offline, it can mean intimidation and even physical attacks. These realities often leave people feeling isolated and unprotected.

At Tranz Network Uganda (TNU), we knew something had to change. Safety is not a luxury; it is a right. With this in mind, we launched the Safe & Seen: Digital Empowerment Series, a program designed to give trans communities the tools, knowledge, and confidence to stay safe in an increasingly hostile environment.

At the heart of the initiative was a unique Training of Trainers (ToT) workshop that brought together ten trans individuals from different regions of Uganda. They came as participants, but left as pioneers. Through mentorship and practical training, each of them stepped into a new role as Trans Digital Safety Ambassadors, trusted voices within their communities who could offer guidance, support, and immediate help in times of digital or physical emergencies.

The training was not intended to be a one-time event that concluded with the workshop’s closure. Instead, it marked the beginning of a sustained, community-driven effort. Participants learned how to move more safely through online spaces, how to protect their personal information from blackmail and surveillance, and how to respond to online harassment and digital threats. They also explored practical ways to strengthen physical safety in environments where the risk of violence is always present.

This work has become even more urgent under the shadow of Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Act and other extremely repressive laws like the Computer Misuse Act,, which haves intensified dangers both online and offline. In such a climate, knowledge becomes more than power; it becomes protection. That is why the program also linked participants to the TNU toll-free hotline (+256 800 344544), ensuring that they and their communities have somewhere to turn for emergency support, legal guidance, and access to health services. For many who are cut off from care, this connection is not just helpful; it is life-saving.

The Safe & Seen: Digital Empowerment Series is about much more than teaching technical skills. It is about instilling confidence, nurturing resilience, and reminding people that they are not alone. It is about creating a network of solidarity where safety is shared, and where being visible is not just an act of identity but also an act of courage.

In every trans person who dares to stay visible despite the risks, there is a story of quiet resistance. Through this program, TNU is helping those stories multiply, strengthening the collective voice of a community determined not only to survive, but to thrive.

2LEAD Program Fellow Championing Trans Health in Uganda

Dr. Hirya Nahiranda is a medical doctor, and passionate advocate for inclusive health and gender-affirming care. His professional and personal journeys are deeply intertwined, each fueling the other in his mission to create safe, affirming spaces for queer and trans communities in Uganda.

Currently, he serves at Ark Wellness Hub, a queer-focused clinic that primarily serves men who have sex with men (MSM), while also providing care for a growing number of trans clients — many of whom he connects with through personal networks. His work spans general medical care, STI management, HIV prevention, and guidance on gender-affirming health, where possible within the current legal framework.

Outside the clinic, he extends his work into community education, participating in podcasts, facilitating in-person sessions, and sharing practical medical information alongside his lived experience as a trans man. These platforms have allowed him to challenge stigma, spark meaningful conversations, and bridge the gap between medical knowledge and the everyday realities of queer and trans people.

In his remarks, he says,

“My trans journey has been both the compass and the fuel for his career. Growing up, my difference was visible and often became the subject of gossip, bias, and doubt. Even in school leadership roles, my abilities were questioned not because of my competence, but because of how I looked. These experiences chipped away at my confidence, even as I kept pushing forward.

Working within Uganda’s restrictive legal environment has brought its own set of challenges. It has, at times, limited how much I could fully practice gender-affirming care beyond my personal journey. But joining the TNU 2Lead Fellowship marked a turning point. It deepened my understanding of legal realities, equipping me with strategies to work safely within them while still advocating for my community.

More importantly, 2LEAD has been a space of renewal; restoring my confidence, reconnecting me with my power, and surrounding me with a network of gender-diverse leaders. The human connections, including a close friendship formed with a fellow participant, have been deeply healing and inspiring.”

Today, Dr Hirya carries a renewed clarity. For every client he sees, every conversation he starts, and every class he teaches is a step toward the future he believes in; a future where trans and queer people have the care, dignity, and respect they deserve.

Breaking down barriers to trans and gender-diverse-inclusive healthcare in Uganda

Sarah Nangobi (not her real name) is a nurse at a public health centre in Jinja, one of Uganda’s busy commercial hubs. Like many of her colleagues across the country, she has encountered trans and gender-diverse patients seeking care. But unlike before, she no longer hesitates when they walk through her clinic doors.

“I used to feel confused when someone’s appearance didn’t match their national ID,” Nangobi admits. “I didn’t know how to address them, and sometimes I would just refer to them elsewhere because I was uncomfortable.”

If you work in healthcare in Uganda, this might sound familiar. Many medical personnel have struggled with providing services to trans and gender-diverse patients, often due to a lack of knowledge, cultural biases, or institutional barriers that leave both providers and patients frustrated.

With support from UNAIDS, this was what Tranz Network Uganda (TNU) was trying to address with its groundbreaking healthcare provider training program. As a leading advocacy organisation, TNU focuses on advancing the rights and well-being of trans and gender-diverse people across Uganda.

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Empowering Trans Communities, Advancing Human Rights

From June 3rd – 6th, 2025, Tranz Network Uganda (TNU) kicked off its 2LEAD Fellowship under the Safe Horizons Project with a four-day training in Kampala for ten (10) trans and gender-diverse fellows. This first step in the six-month program empowered fellows with skills in human rights advocacy, digital safety, peacebuilding, leadership, and self-care to address challenges like the Anti-Homosexuality Act (2023) and online violence ahead of the 2026 elections.

An overwhelming number of applications were received. A thorough selection process, guided by a dedicated committee, chose the top ten (10) fellows, balancing regional quotas and gender diversity. The training enhanced their advocacy, public policy, digital security, and AI expertise, focusing on key issues, strategy development, policy engagement, and regional action plans.

Fellows praised the practical, inclusive learning environment and peer collaboration.

“This training empowered me to advocate effectively at all levels,” one fellow noted.

Gratitude goes to facilitators and partners for this strong start. Next, fellows will join mentorship sessions, community dialogues, advocacy campaigns, and peacebuilding efforts (June-November 2025), building on TNU’s Ethnography Study to boost trans community safety in Uganda. A dissemination workshop is set for mid-November.